William mcpheeson



(No Model.)

W. MGPHERSON.

MACHINE FOR MAKING STIRRUP IRONS FOR BEAMS, am. No. 349,946." Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

Ting-"A.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM MOPHERSON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR MAKING STlRRUP-IRONS FOR BEAMS, 84 0.

$EECI1-ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,946, dated September 28, 1886.

Application filed May 8, 1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM MoPHERsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine for Making Stirrup-Irons, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of a machine embodying my invention as it appears after the stirrup-iron blank has been bent. Fig. 2 represents a similar view of the machine as it appears after the blank has been bent and twisted. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section thereof taken on the line of the twisting-dies. Fig. 4 is an end view of the twisting-dies, showing the coiniecting-gear. Fig. 5 represents a plan view, partly in section, of the former detached. Fig. (5 represents a front view, and Fig. 7 a side view, of the completed stirrupi ron.

Similar letters indicate similar parts.

My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture by machinery of stirrups or stirrupirons, also known as bridle-irons, such as are commonly used in the construction of buildings for supporting thejoists and beams, and especially that class of stirrupirons in which the stirrup-iron shanks terminate in hooks, and are both twisted to bring such hooks into a plane at right angles with the stirrup-iron base.

My invention consists in the combination of a bending mechanism and a twisting mechanism, substantially as hereinafter described, to operate conjointly with each other, one being constructed to hold the blank stationary in the operation of the other.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A designates the bed-plate of the machine, a portion, A, of which is placed on a higher level than the other to accommodate the operative parts of the machine to each other. On said upper portion of the bed-plate a stationary former or mold, B, which is substantially rectangular and of the width of the stirrup-iron to be produced. Adjacent to one end of said former B is a clamp, E, which serves to hold the stirrup-iron blank against such end of the former in the operation of the machine, said clamp being in this example arranged. to slide Serial No. 301,529. (No model.)

on the bed-plate and constructed with a cam, E, for securing it in the desired position. On

' opposite sides of the former Bis a pair of arms or levers, O O, the members of which are pivoted to the bed-plate at one end in corresponding relation to the former, as at l) D, to es eillate to and from the latter, and which con stitute bending-dies to cooperate with the former in shaping the stirrup-iron, the free ends of said arms terminating in handles. Upon the lower or main portion of the bed plate are shafts or rollers F F, forming dies, the function of which is to twist the shanks of the stirrup-iron after the latter has been bent. Said twisting-dies F F are fitted in supporting-frames G- G, to rotate freely therein, and each is provided with a longitudinal slot or recess, 1, of a proper width and depth to receive in it either shank of the iron, thereby effecting an engagement of thedie with said shank. The axes of the twisting-dies F F are parallel with the sides of the former B, and the horizontal plane thereof is such that when the slots 1'. of the dies are brought into a horizontal position the lower sides of the slots are flush with the surface of the upper or raised portion, A, of the bedplate.

On one end of the twisting-dies F F are toothed segments J J, which mesh with each other and are in eccentric positions, both being in corresponding relation to the dies, so that while the dies are caused to rotate in unison by that means they are forced away from each other laterally in such motion thereof, due to the eccentricity of the segments.

In order to adapt the supporting-frames G G of the twisting-dies to said lateral motion of the dies, the frames are constructed to move in the proper direction to and from each other in suitable guides of a base, K, the latter being in turn constructed to move in a direction parallel with the dies in suitable guides of the bed-plate A, for the purpose of permitting the adjustment of the twisting-dies in relation to the former in the operation of the machine, which is as follows: llhe stirrup-iron blank, consisting of a flat strip of iron or other metal properly heated, is secured fiatwise against the end of the former B by means of the clamp E, and the bending-dies O C are forced against the blank. to wrap the same around the former,

thereby imparting thereto a stirrup shape, as shown in Fig. 1. The twisting-dies F F are then adjusted to bring the slot I of both such dies into a vertical position, and the die-supportingframes G G are moved in the direction of the former B by means of the base K, so that the ends of the bent stirrup-iron are received in said slots of the dies. A rotary motion is then imparted to the twisting-dies F F in an outward direction away from the shanks of the blank, whereby both shanks are twisted to bring the terminal portions of such shanks into a plane at right angles with that portion thereof constituting the base of the article. The ends of the blank are then bent into the form of hooks, one after the other,

by means of the former B and bending-dies- O O, to complete thestirrup-iron, the twistingdies F F having meanwhile been shifted by means of the base K to clear the ends of the blank and permit its removal.

In the operation of the twisting-dies F F their slots I move from a vertical to a horizontal position, and the effect of the beforementioned arrangement 'of said slots in relation to the raised bed-plate A is to bring the twisted portion t of the blank substantially flush with one edge of the other or base portion, u, thereof, as shown in Fig. 7, thereby imparting to the stirrup-iron a plane face to abut against the beam, while the effect of said lateral movement of the twisting-dies away from each other is to bring the twisted portions of the blank outside of the base portion, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby rendering the stirrup-iron of equal width throughout on the interior. The former B is divided longitudinally into twoparts or sections, each of which is hinged or pivoted at one end, as at s, Fig. 5, and between which is arranged a cam, Q, the function of which is to spread the sections, and thereby hold the former in position during the bending operation, to permit of releasing the bridle-iron after it has shrunken in cooling. The toothed segments J J are provided at one end with plane edges a, forming stops or abutments to limit the motion of the twisting-dies in the direction in which they are turned to twist the blank, and in order to regulate the inner or normal position of said dies the die-supporting frames G G are providedwith stops at, to co-operate with counter-stops o of the dies; but it should be understood that these purposes may be accomplished in other ways. Suitable stops, moreover, may be used to regulate the motion of the die-supporting frames G G, as also to regulate the adjustment of the base K to and from the former.

For the purpose of rotating the twistingdies F F, each of said dies is in this example provided with a hole or socket to receive a hand-lever, P; but it is evident that this purpose may be accomplished in other ways.

For the purpose of holding the blank upon the former B during the operation of the twisting-dies F F, a yoke may be used to clampthe blank to the sides of the former, the bendingdies being displaced; or the bending-dies may pair of rotary twisting-dies adapted to receive the ends of the bent blanks and operate thereon, as set forth.

2. In a machine for making stirrupdrons, a pair of rotary twisting-dies adapted to receive the ends of the bent blanks and provided with supporting frames having means, substantially as described, to move the same both laterally and longitudinally, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. l

- 3. In a machine for making stirrup-irons, a former and bending-dies adapted to co-operate therewith, in combination with rotary twisting-dies adapted to engage the ends of the blank, substantially as and for the purpose herein described. 4. In a machine for making stirrup-irons, a former, a clamp adapted to 'hold the blank against one end of said former, and oscillating arms pivoted on opposite sides of said former to form bending-dies, in combinationwith rotary twisting-dies adapted toengage the ends of the bent blank, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

5. In a machine for making stirrup-irons, a pair of rotary twisting-dies having longitudinal slots adapted to receive the ends of the bent blank, in combination with a former, bending-dies adapted to co-operate therewith, and a means for adjusting said twisting-dies and former in relation to each other, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

6. In a machine for making stirrup-irons, a pair of rotary twisting-dies adapted to receive the ends of the bent blank and constructed with eccentric-toothed segments meshing with each other, in combination with die-supporting frames adapted to move laterally to the dies, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

7. In a machine for making stirrup-irons, a pair of rotary twisting-dies adapted to receive the ends of the bent blank and constructed with eccentric-toothed segments meshing with each. other, in combination with die-supporting frames adapted to move laterally to the dies and a frame-supporting base adapted to move parallel with the dies, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

8. In a' machine for making stirrup-irons, a raised bed-plate, in combination with rotary twisting-dieshavinglongitudinal slots adapted to coincide with said bed-plate, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

9. In a machine for making stirrup-irons, a former made in sections, each pivoted at one end, in combination with a cam arranged inlate the inner position of said dies, substantermediate of the sections to act thereon, subtially as and for the purpose herein described.

stantially as and for the purpose herein de- Signed at New York, in the county and scribed. State of New York, this 8th day of April, 5 10. In a machine for making stirrup-irons, 1886.

a pair of rotary twisting-dies constructed with T I V eccentric -t0othed segments terminating in ILLIAM MbPHERSON' plane edges to form stops for regulating the \Vitnesses: lateral motion of said dies, in combination CHAS. VAHLERS,

10 with stops and counter-stops adapted to regu- WM. CALLAHAN. 

